Response From My State Senator…

Thank you for sending your concerns to my office. As a gun owner myself, I’ve been looking at this issue as it plays out on the Federal level. I have hunted for years, and as a civics teacher, I am of course a strong supporter of the Constitution and its amendments.

I have no plans to author legislation on gun control, and will only support bills that balance both the need to reduce gun violence with the need to protect the rights of reasonable and responsible gun owners. I am also concerned about mental health issues as they apply to gun violence in this state. Identification and prevention of mental health issues are key to reducing gun violence without unduly restricting ownership.

At this time, there has been only one bill in the Senate regarding this controversial issue: Senate bill S.F. 46 would eliminate the ability of violent felons to petition the courts to have their ability to possess firearms restored. I believe that this is the kind of common ground that we must find as we move forward with this complicated topic. I will take your concerns into account as gun ownership becomes an issue of discussion in the Minnesota Senate.

Again, thank you for voicing your concerns. An active constituency is a critical foundation for democracy.